The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of Swiss Patent Application No. 2498/98 dated Dec. 17, 1998 and Swiss Patent Application No. 1589/99 dated Aug. 31, 1999, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed connected to a passenger cab in which the cargo bed includes or is defined by side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located inside or outside of the cargo bed. The invention also relates to a swivel device for loading and unloading the pick-up vehicle, and to a process for loading and unloading the pick-up vehicle.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Pick-up vehicles, e.g., road vehicles having a passenger cab connected to a cargo bed separated from the vehicle chassis, include side walls and a rear wall. The loading of pick-up vehicles can present problems when loads which cannot be lifted, either over the side walls or into the cargo bed through an opened rear wall, by hand. Since pick-up vehicles are being used more frequently as recreational vehicles, also called SUVs (sport utility vehicles), it would be beneficial to be able to load them with, e.g., all-terrain motorcycles or small watercraft without problems. When loading motorcycles, e.g., ramps can be used, however, this may require considerable dexterity and pose a certain safety hazard when the motorcycle is driven onto the ramp. Of course, when loading watercraft, the ramp option is not available. Moreover, the loading of other loads by hand can also be problematic.
Swivel devices for onloading, offloading, and tilting of trough-shaped containers are known, e.g., for use with trucks and construction vehicles. For trucks, two lateral swivel arms are generally provided which are respectively swivelably linked with one end behind the truck chassis. Further, the swivel arms can have a holding device for a load-bearing device, e.g., chains or wire cable at their free end, which device can be attached to the hopper to be onloaded or offloaded. During onloading, the hopper is deposited or positioned on transverse or longitudinal supports of the truck chassis. The swiveling motion of the swivel arms is generally achieved by hydraulically activated piston/cylinder arrangements which are fastened to the chassis and to the respective swivel arm. Swiss Patent Application No. CH-A-546 657 discloses, e.g., a swivel device for a truck, and European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 337 678 discloses, e.g., a construction vehicle having a swivel device for hoppers, in which the hoppers are likewise laterally received on swivel arms. A bridge that connects the swivel arms to an additional holding element serves to hold the hopper in a fixed position, which is arranged on the swivel arms when this hopper is tilted.
With such known swivel/tilt devices, a large height in the rest state results which is not objectionable for trucks and specialty vehicles, i.e., construction vehicles, but which by contrast is unacceptable for road vehicles such as pick-up vehicles because these vehicles should also be able to negotiate residential and commercial garages as well as wash stations.
The present invention provides a simple option for loading even bulky and/or heavy loads onto a pick-up vehicle without diminishing the vehicle""s suitability as a normal road vehicle.
Thus, the present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle similar in general to that discussed above, which also includes a swivel device for loading and unloading of the vehicle. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
Using the swivel device of the instant invention for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle allows for effortless loading and unloading by depositing a load on the ground behind the vehicle or on the cargo bed, and for a reduction in the height at the rest position through the curvature of or bend in the swivel arms, which renders the pick-up vehicle more roadworthy.
Further, the present invention provides a swivel device for the pick-up vehicle which ensures good loadability of the vehicle without impairing the use of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
The bowed or bent swivel arms of the swivel arms enables the swivel device to be arranged on a pick-up vehicle without significantly increasing height of such a vehicle. Moreover, the swivel device allows for simple loading and unloading of the pick-up vehicle.
Further still, the present invention is directed to a process in which a pick-up vehicle can be simply loaded and unloaded without limiting the suitability of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, a loading and unloading motion of the process includes swiveling of the swivel arm.
The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device adapted for loading and unloading the open cargo bed, and the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm having one of a curved and bent section along its length. A swivel axis of the swivel device is located between the rear wall and the wheel wells.
According to a feature of the instant invention, at least one connecting bridge can be included. The at least one swivel arm can include swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed, and the at least one connecting bridge can be positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swivel yoke. The swivel yoke in a resting position can form a roll bar for the passenger cab.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, at least one movable connection piece can be included. The swivel device can include two swivel axes located one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a swivel arm can be swivelably coupled around the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms may be coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece, thereby forming a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure. At least one load uptake device can be couplable to the movable connection piece. At least one rigid suspension can be included. The at least one load uptake device may include a platform, and the at least one rigid suspension can rigidly couple the platform to the movable connection piece.
According to still another feature of the invention, the swivel axes can lie essentially on a plane of the cargo bed. Alternatively, the swivel axes can lie beneath a plane of the cargo bed. Moreover, at least one of the swivel axes may be raised compared to the cargo bed.
The present invention is also directed to a swivel device for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle. The pick-up vehicle can have an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm having one of a curved and bent section along its length. A swivel axis of the swivel device is adapted to be located between the rear wall and the wheel wells.
In accordance with a feature of the instant invention, at least one connecting bridge can be included. The at least one swivel arm can include swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed, and the at least one connecting bridge can be positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swivel yoke.
Still further, in accordance with a feature of the instant invention, the swivel device can further include an hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, or hand-activated drive for swiveling of the swivel yoke.
The swivel device, in accordance with still another feature of the invention, can further include at least one movable connection piece. The swivel device may include two swivel axes located one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a swivel arm may be swivelably coupled around the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms may be coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece. In this manner, a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure can be formed.
According to a further feature of the present invention, at least one load uptake device can be couplable to the movable connection piece. The invention can further include at least one rigid suspension. The at least one load uptake device can include a platform, and the at least one rigid suspension may rigidly couple the platform to the movable connection piece.
In accordance with a still further feature of the instant invention, a support bracket can be adapted to lie on the cargo bed and to provide the swivel axis.
Moreover, the swivel axis can be located about a portion of a chassis of the pick-up vehicle.
The present invention can also include the at least one swivel arm that includes a longitudinally adjustable lifting arm.
The instant invention is also directed to a process for loading and unloading of a pick-up vehicle with a swivel device. The pick-up vehicle can have an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed, and the swivel device can have at least one swivel arm having one of a curved and bent section along its length that is swivelable around a swivel axis located between the rear wall and the wheel wells. The process can include coupling the swivel arm to a load, and swiveling the swivel arm to one of load and unload the pick-up vehicle with the load.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the swivel device can further includes a parallelogram-like swivel arm and a load platform, and the process may further include maintaining the load platform in a substantially horizontal orientation throughout the one of the loading and unloading.
The present invention is also directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device including at least two swivel arms swivelably coupled to a support device at first ends, and the at least two swivel arms include at least one of a bent and a curved section. A connecting bridge is positioned to couple the at least two swivel arms at ends opposite the first ends, to form a swivelable yoke. The swivel arms are swivelably positionable between a rest position in which the swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall.
According to a feature of the invention, the support device can be positioned above a plane of said cargo bed, can positioned below a plane of said cargo bed, or can be positioned on a plane of the cargo bed.
The present invention is also directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device comprising at least four swivel arms swivelably coupled to support devices at first ends, and the at least four swivel arms are formed into at least two pairs and include at least one of bent and curved sections. At least two connecting bridges are positioned to couple the at least two pairs of swivel arms at ends opposite the first ends, to form at least two swivelable yokes. At least two connections are provided for coupling the two swivelable yokes together at the ends opposite the first ends. The at least two swivelable yokes are swivelably positionable between a rest position in which said swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the swivel arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall.
According to a feature of the invention, the support devices can be positioned above a plane of said cargo bed, can positioned below a plane of said cargo bed, can be positioned on a plane of the cargo bed, and/or can be positioned at least two different heights with respect to a plane of the cargo bed.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings.